Dose of Halacha

Question: We own a caravan that we use a couple of times a year, while the rest of the time it remains parked in our driveway. Are we required to affix a mezuza to it? Answer: Rambam (Mezuza 6:9) and the Shulchan Aruch (YD 286:11) rule that a dwelling on a ship is exempt from a mezuza because it is not intended for permanent residence. R’ Shraga Feivish Schneebalg (Shraga Hameir 3:19) clarifies that caravans, which are generally not designed for long-term living, do not require a mezuza , even if someone resides in them year-round. R’ Mordechai Yaakov Breish (Chelkas Yaakov YD 147:45; 163) and R’ Moshe Stern (Baer Moshe 2:88) note that if a caravan is used as a permanent home, there is indeed an obligation to affix a mezuza with a beracha . However, if the caravan is primarily bought or rented for travel purposes, a mezuza should be affixed without a beracha . R’ Yitzchak Yaakov Weiss (Minchas Yitzchak 2:82) discusses a scenario in which a caravan serves as a person’s pr...

Question: Occasionally, we forget to bring our tefillin to school and end up borrowing a friend’s. Some of us use Ashkenazi tefillin , others use Sefardi, and some use Chabad tefillin . Does it make a difference? Answer: The writing of a Sefer Torah follows three primary traditions: Ksav Ashkenazi , with sharp, distinct forms and prominent crowns; Ksav Sefardi , with rounded, flowing letters; and Ksav Ari , which blends rounded and sharp elements. While each shul generally has a sefer Torah written according to its mesora , R’ Ovadia Yosef (Yabia Omer YD 2:20; Yechave Daas 2:3) cites various Ashkenazi and Sefardi poskim who agree that one can read from any sefer torah regardless of one’s tradition. A further machlokes among the rishonim concerns the spacing at the start of the fourth paragraph in the tefillin. Rambam (Tefillin 8:2) holds that there should be a large space, with the paragraph beginning in the middle of the column ( pesucha , or ‘open’), while the Rosh (Sefer...

Question: We regularly have lunch together at work, where two of my colleagues eat bread while I usually bring a salad. Can we still make a zimmun ? Answer : The Gemara (Berachos 48a) teaches that, for a group of ten to recite the special zimmun of “ nevareich Elokeinu ,” a majority, must have eaten bread. Rambam (Berachos 5:8) and the Shulchan Aruch (OC 197:2) rule that when seven of ten participants eat bread, the remaining three may join even if they have only eaten other foods, forming a valid zimmun . A machlokes exists, however, regarding a zimmun of three: The Rif (Berachos 35b), Rambam, and Rashba (Berachos 48a) hold that all three participants should eat bread, while the Ri (Tosafos Berachos 48a), Rabbenu Yonah (35b), and Rosh (Berachos 7:21) allow one participant to join even if he ate other foods. Tosafos goes further, permitting a third who has only had a drink to participate, though the Kol Bo (25) requires a minimum of a kezayis of food (see Beis Yosef OC 197:2)...